Since the establishment of the Great Zhou Dynasty, it has attached great importance to the transportation of waterways. Hundreds of thousands of civilians were summoned to dig rivers and canals and build water transportation. When you arrive in this dynasty, the waterways extend in all directions, which is extremely convenient.

Compared with the fatigue of driving and horses, taking a boat is faster and more comfortable. Traveling hundreds of miles a day, you can enjoy the scenery along the way. Therefore, most people choose to travel by boat. Most of the ordinary people take passenger ships and civilian ships, and most of the merchants have their own merchant ships.

According to the different grades and status, the rank of the official ship is also different. Uncle Ling is a fourth-grade official, and according to the convention, he is on a high-class official ship.

The ship has three floors, and the ground floor is where the crew and miscellaneous staff live. The second floor is the dwelling of the maids and servants and the guards of the family. Uncle Ling and his family lived on the third floor.

There are eight cabins on the third floor, and the ship is limited in size, and the cabins are not large, but they are very exquisitely furnished. Each cabin has a window where you can sit and look out over the river.

Ling Jingshu and Ling Xiao live in an adjoining cabin, so that they can take care of Ling Xiao at any time.

It was the first time for Ling Xiao to travel by boat, and he was so excited at first that he couldn't help himself, so he always asked Ling Jingshu to describe the scenery he saw to him one by one. After a few days, the novelty of taking the boat gradually disappeared, and I felt that it was too boring to stay in the cabin all day, so I couldn't help muttering: "I've been on the boat for five days, and how long will it take to get to the capital." ”

Ling Jingshu smiled dumbly: "It's only been less than a third of the way, and we have to walk for more than ten days!" As the saying goes, it's better to travel thousands of miles than to read 10,000 books, haven't you always wanted to get out of Dingzhou City to see? ”

Ling Xiao is really still a child, and he doesn't have much patience.

Ling Xiao was teased by Ling Jingshu, and she was also a little surprised: "I just feel that I stay on the boat every day and can't go out and walk around, so I'm a little depressed." Well, I'd better pass the time by reading a book. ”

Ling Xiao's "reading books" is to let people read to him.

Ling Jingshu smiled: "I'm also idle, I'll read to you." ”

As he spoke, he instructed Bai Yu to find a miscellaneous travel book and read it carefully for Ling Xiao.

The warm and bright sunlight shines through the window, illuminating the small cabin. Ling Jingshu's warm and soft voice sounded in the cabin, and Ling Xiao sat beside Ling Jingshu softly and obediently, listening attentively.

Jing Yu was waiting for tea on the side, and Bai Yu was idle and started needlework.

The atmosphere is quiet and serene.

The voice of a little maid broke the silence: "Young Master Qiyu, Mrs. has prepared lunch over there, please come over for lunch with Young Master." ”

Ling Jingshu responded with a smile, put down the book in her hand, and took Ling Xiao's hand out of the cabin to the dining room together

Living on a ship, three meals a day, morning and evening, are eaten separately in the room, only at noon, everyone eats together.

Sun specially brought two cooks from the house, both of whom are quite exquisite, and the dishes for lunch every day are not much, but they are very exquisite and delicious.

When Ling Jingshu's sister and brother arrived, Uncle Ling and the others had already sat around the dinner table. It is necessary to greet the salute before entering the table.

Speaking of which, the population of the long house is not too complicated.

Uncle Ling has two daughters and two sons, the eldest daughter Ling Jinghao married a few years ago, and now she is taking up her post in Tongzhou with her husband. The eldest son, Ling Ji, is now a prisoner of the country, married his wife Jiang four years ago, and has no heirs. The second son died young, and there is a daughter, Ling Jingyan.

Sitting at the table was Uncle Ling's Sun, Ling Ji and his wife, and Ling Jingyan. plus Ling Jingshu's sister and brother, there are only seven people. The round pear blossom wood table is more than enough.

Uncle Ling has a strict temperament in front of the younger generations and does not smile. The practice is to eat and sleep without saying a word. Everyone finished their lunch in silence, and it wasn't until Uncle Ling got up and went back to the cabin that the atmosphere was relaxed.

There was no need to command, and the clever maid served hot refreshments.

It's a long journey, and you spend the whole day on the boat, and small talk is an excellent pastime.

Ling Jingyan smiled and chatted with Ling Jingshu about Imperial Physician Wei's medical practice: "Imperial Physician Wei created the Rejuvenation Hall before he was sixteen years old to accommodate patients. At first, the patients saw that Dr. Wei was too young to trust him at all. Dr. Wei not only did not accept the consultation fee, but also gave free medicine, so that those poor patients who couldn't even afford medicine stayed."

"Now that Doctor Wei is famous in the capital, on the fifteenth day of every month, the patients waiting outside the Rejuvenation Hall can be discharged two streets." The young woman sitting beside Ling Jingyan also interjected with a smile.

This young woman is about twenty years old, and her appearance is outstanding and moving, and she is Ling Ji's wife Jiang Shi.

Jiang's serious background is famous. His father was the nephew of the late British Duke, who is now Chiang's cousin. The two provinces are of the same clan, with the same qi and branches, and they move closely.

The British Mansion was the most prominent mansion of the Great Zhou Dynasty. When the Great Zhou Dynasty was established, the British Duke was the founding father of the dynasty. Today, the Great Zhou Dynasty has been inherited for more than 200 years, and the British government has also existed for 200 years. Empress Chiang, who died of illness, was the youngest daughter of the late British Duke and the aunt of the current British Duke.

Today's prince of the East Palace is a cousin of the British duke.

Jiang is just a concubine, but he is outstanding. When the Jiang family had not yet left the cabinet, there were not many people who came to seek relatives.

Uncle Ling was born in Jinshi, learned the way of Confucius and Mencius, and believed in the orthodoxy of the prince. I didn't think much of the matter of the saint spoiling his youngest son, King Yan, and wanted to stand under the prince's door, so he really spent a lot of thought in order to settle this family affair with the Jiang family.

Because of this, when Jiang just passed the door, her husband respected her, and her in-laws were quite kind to her daughter-in-law.

It's just that the good times don't last long.

Jiang has been married for four years and has not come out. The Sun family has long been dissatisfied in his heart, and due to the momentum of the Jiang family, it is inconvenient to take a concubine for Ling Ji. When he talks on weekdays, he inevitably picks on him: "When I go back to the capital this time, Ah Shu will accompany Ah Xiao to seek medical advice, and you will also accompany Jiang." Just ask Imperial Doctor Wei to prescribe a prescription for you to regulate your body, maybe you will be able to get pregnant soon. ”

Jiang's smile froze, and in response, he lowered his head.

There are three unfilial pieties, and no queen is great.

No matter how high the background is, what can you do? has not been able to conceive an heir, which has become Jiang's biggest hidden pain. As soon as Sun opened his mouth, he poked Jiang's sore spot.

Ling Jingshu had a good impression of this humorous cousin-in-law, and couldn't bear to see her so embarrassed, so she smiled and relieved her: "The child's affairs also depend on God's gifts and fate, and I can't be in a hurry." My sister-in-law is so young, as long as she takes good care of her body, she may soon become pregnant. ”

Jiang's heart warmed when he heard this, and he glanced at Ling Jingshu gratefully.

Ling Ji and his wife Jiang Shi were quite affectionate, and said on the spot: "It's also my fault for speaking of it, I spend most of the month in the Guozi Prison, and I have very little time to return home." often leave his wife alone in the empty room. ”

If husband and wife don't have time to get together, where are the children?

The husband defended himself like this, which made Jiang's heart warm. Mother-in-law Sun's chatter doesn't have to be taken to heart.

Ling Jingshu and Ling Ji defended the Jiang family one after another, and the Sun family didn't want to say anything more, so as not to show a mean face in front of everyone, and quickly opened the topic: "Tomorrow, when the boat arrives at the dock, the cooks will go to buy some ingredients, and the boatmen will also go down to the dock to rest for half a day." If you want to take the opportunity to get off the boat and get some air, that's fine. ”

As soon as these words came out, everyone was excited.

Especially Ling Xiao, he immediately pulled Ling Jingshu's sleeve and shook it: "Ashu, let's get off the boat and go!" ”

Ling Jingshu was also quite moved, and responded with a smile